Folk songwriter / singer / guitarist from the Hamilton area known as “The Chesapeake Troubadour.” In the early ‘60s he provided lead vocals for the Towson R&B group the Princetons. In 1964 he formed the Gillgara Trio. The folk group eventually split up in ‘67 and Pat became a solo performer. Beginning in 1967 Pat was known as one of Baltimore’s top folk singers primarily working at the Plaza Terrace Club as a ‘strolling Troubadour.’
Above: The Gillgara Trio – 1965 Pat O’Brennan – 1965
Eventually Pat worked as a solo and as a duo with Barry Dalton (ex-bassist for Tapestry), at the Briarwood Inn, The Irish House in Ocean City, the Black Horse Inn, the Squires Quarters (eventually known as the Dulaney Inn), Leadbetters, Roosevelt Bar, Tom Jones Lounge… Pat also toured the northeast states and California.
During the mid-’70s Pat spent two years in California with the National Guard before returning to Baltimore where he began to play again at the Dulaney, and the Black Horse Inn. Black Horse owner Bill Lilly hired Pat to play at his Ocean City club the Bounty. He moved to Ocean City where he played the club circuit for twelve years.
In 1976 he assembled the Pat O’Brennan Band and recorded his first album “On My Way – Live at The Bounty”. The LP was mixed at Sheffield Studios. The group consisted of Pat (guitar), Kevin O’Brennan (guitar), Dalton (bass), Bill Bodenstein (drums), Jeep Watson (mandolin ex-Incubus, Catwhistle), and featured Bob Marvin (keyboards ex-Tapestry, Raintree) who played as session musician on the LP and accompanied Pat on a couple of gigs. This line-up performed Pat’s original compositions and country rock covers such as the Eagles, Marshall Tucker, Lynyrd Skynyrd, etc. at clubs such as the Bounty, and the Holiday House. During the late ‘70s Pat and Barry also worked as a duo at the Bounty.
Art by D. L. Zwiebach
Mike McNeil was later added on pedal steel and Paul Demond replaced Bodenstein on drums. In the mid-’80s the band featured Deets McCleary (guitar Summer’s Misfits, Fugitives, Raintree, One Another, Krackerjax, Bell System). McNeil and Demond left the band to form a country rock group called Ante Up, and Danny Gauger replaced Paul on drums. They released a second album in 1981 titled “Fool’s Paradise” recorded at Flite Three Studios where Pat continued to work. “Fool’s Paradise” featured O’Brennan, Marvin, McClearey, and Watson, with Hal Whittaker (guitar), Karen Renaud (flute), Danny Gauger (drums), Gary Schaeffer (drums), and backing vocals by Kevin, Jody, Mark, and Steve O’Brennan. After Deets passed away the band eventually folded.
Pat released a solo cassette in 1992 and continued to perform into the ‘00s as a solo, and he could assemble a duo, or trio depending on the job. The trio included Barry Dalton and Kevin O’Brennan. Seen at Irish pubs, Bare Bones in Ellicott City… His albums have been digitally remastered and re-released as CD’s.
| Pat O’Brennan 2016 Inductee MEHOF In 2016 Pat was inducted into the Maryland Entertainer Hall of Fame: “Pat O’Brennan began his music career in 1962 working with the Princetons. In 1964 he formed the folk group the Gilgarra Trio and worked with Arlo Guthrie and the Kingston Trio among others in the US and Canada. He later became known as the ‘Chesapeake Troubadour’, writing original songs about the Chesapeake Bay, the Pride of Baltimore, and the Ward Brothers. He has composed and performed original theme songs and jingles for the Baltimore Flower Mart, Ed Block Courage Awards, Baltimore Clean Up Campaign, Baltimore Fallen Police Officers Memorial Tribute, the Bay Foundation, and the State of the Pride of Baltimore. He continues to perform as a single and trio up and down the east coast and down the ocean, hon!” |
1976(LP) Bounty DM84679 On My Way – Live at The Bounty
1981(LP) PH-101 Fool’s Paradise
1992(CS) Back on The Bay
19**(CD) Live at The Tidewater
